Work-feeding attachment for sewing-machines.



C. AUGUSTINE.

WORK FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3.1914.

Patented 0013. 12, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET! co.. WASHINGTON. D c

C. AUGUSTINE.

WORK FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 3. I914. 1,156,339. Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

A 2 5I'IEETSSHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH LO.,WASHINCITON. D c.

- ran s'rarns rarest? swim CHARLES AUGUSTINE, OF HERMANN, MISSOURI.

WORK-FEEDING- ATTACHMENT non SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented @ctIZ, 1915.

Application filed December 3, 1914. Serial No. 875,296.

clear, and exact description of the invention,-

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in work feeding attachments for sewing machines and more especiallyto feeding attachments for shoe closing machines.

The objectof the invention is to provide a simply constructed work feeding attachment which is especially designed for use in connection with what is known on the market as the Puritan closing machine and which facilitates the feeding'of the leather and prevents stretching or shifting thereof and feeds the leather in a uniform and regular manner. r v

lVith the above and other objects inview, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

' In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 represents a side elevation of 'a machine equipped with this improved attachment; Fig; 2 is a front elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of aporti-on of the machine, showing this improved attachment appliedyFig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line l4: of Fig. 3, showing the needle and the work feeding attachment in lowered inoperative position; Fig. 5 is a similarview taken on the line 55 of Fig. 8,"showing the workfeeder and needle in the'act of being raised; Fig. 6 is a similar View showing the feeder and needle in raised operative position; Fig. 7 isa siniilar view showing the parts in the position which they assume when a stitch is being formed; Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on the line 88 of Fig. 5; Fig. 9 is a similar View taken on the line 99 of Fig. 5; Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the work feeder constituting this invention.

In the embodiment illustrated, a leather sewing machine is shown having the usual overhanging arm 1 with a head 2 at one end. The usual work post 3 is disposed below this "the feeding member 18.

head 2 and is equipped with a work plate 1 havmg the usual throat plate 5 therein.

Mounted for rocking or oscillatory movement in the post 3 is a feed rocker bar 6 through which the needle bar 7 and cast off bar 8 extend, the needle-bar having a driving block 9 and the cast off bar a driving block 10. These blocks 9 and 10 operate in an opening 11 in the bar 6, being slidable in. said bar. This fee'd'rocker bar comprises an upright arm 12 having anapertured lateral extension 12 on its lower end adapted to be keyed to an oscillating shaft 12",-

whereby the work is fed the length of the stitch to be formed.

The work feeding attachment 15 which constitutes this invention, is shown in the form of a plate 16 having an angular opening 17 extending longitudinally therethrough and in which is slidably mounted g This plate 1.6 is designed to be dctachably mounted on the upright arm 12 of the feed rocker 6, being here shown screwed or bolted to one face of said arm above the opening 11 therein.

The feeding meniber constitutes an angular body member 19 shaped to conform to the opening 17in the'plate 16 and to slide therein, said member 19 having a laterally extending fork 20 at one end which is adapted to straddle theneedle bar 7 above the block 9 thereof. Adjustably mounted on theother end of the body 19 is a head 21 having an offsetfeed rack 22 of awidth slightly less than the, throat opening in the plate 5 and through which said feed rack is adapted to project and which is limited in its up- "ward oroutward stroke by a shoulder 23 which is formed on' the lower end of bar'- 19 engaging the lower end of the casing 15. A

coiled spring 25 connects" theplate 16 with "the upper end'of the bar or body member 19 of the feeder and is designed to hold said feeder yieldably in retracted positionfwith the rack 22' disposed below the upper face of the throat plate 5 normally out of contact with the work. This spring 25 also returns the feeder to lowered position after it has been raised by the needle bar driving block 9 in amanner to be described.

In the operation of this feeding attachment, when the needle bar 7 carrying the driving block 9 is raised to its highest, point, said block 9 will engage the forked foot 20 of the feeder bar 19 and raise said bar against the tension of the spring 25, thereby projecting the rack 22 above the throat plate about three sixty-fourths of an inch more or less, according to the depth which it is designed the teeth of said rack shall engage the Work to be fed. When this feeder is so projected, the teeth of the rack thereof will engage the leather or other work to be fed and raise it just a trifle sufiicient to clear the throat plate 5 and permit the work to move over said platewithout frictional e11- gagement therewith and thus avoids stretching of the work. When the feeder has been lifted by the needle bar, the rocker 6 upon which the feeding attachment is fastened,

will then be rocked back by means not shown, the length of the stitch which it is desired to make and this rocking of the member 6 will carry the feedingrack 22 with it and consequently feed the leather freely without any dragging thereof on the throat plate, which will avoid all possibility of the leather being stretched during the stitching operation. After the stitch has been formed and the needle bar 7 is lowered, the block 9 moving from under the forked foot 20 will permit the spring 25 to retract the bar 19, thus withdrawing the rack 22 below the throat plate out of engagement with the work where it will remain until the needle bar 7 is again raised for forming another stitch.

To apply this attachmentto the Puritan machines already constructed, it only necessary for a small portion of the post 3 to be cut away to afford space for the plate 16 to be properly mounted in the post and to permit it'to rock with the feed bar 6 therein during the formation of the stitches.

From the above description, it will be ob vious that when this attachment is employed, the leather will be uniformly and regularly fed without any danger of its being stretched or moved out of position.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a sewing machine having an upright rocking bar with a needle bar extending therethrough, of a feeding attachment comprising a casing fixed to said rocking bar, a member slidable vertically in said casing and having a forked foot straddling said needle bar above the projection thereon, and a head at the other end of said sliding bar having a feed rack offset therefrom.

2. 'ihe combination with a sewing machine having an upright rocking bar and a vertically reciprocatory needle bar, of a feeding attachment mounted on said rocking bar and comprising a casing having a member slidably mounted therein and provided at one end with work engaging teeth and at its other end with a needle bar engaging member, and yieldable means for retracting said slidable element and normally holding it in lowered position.

3. A work feeding-attachment for sewing machines comprising a casing, means for attaching it to a support, a bar slidable in said casing and having a laterally extending forked foot at one end and an offset feed rack at its other end, and a coiled spring connected at one end with said bar and at the other end with said casing.

a. A work feeding attachment for sewing machines comprising a casing, means for attaching it to a support, a bar slidable in said casing and having a laterally extending forked foot at one end and an offset feed rack at its other end, and a coiled spring connected at one end with said bar and at the other end. with said casing, said feed rack being adjustably mounted on said bar to vary its extent of projection.

5. A feedingattachment for sewing machines comprismg an attaching casing, a

bar slidably mounted in said casing and having a laterally extending forked foot at one end thereof and an offset feed rack at the other end, means on said bar for limiting its movement in said casing, and a coiled spring connecting said casing and bar for holding said bar normally in retracted position and for returning it to retracted position after it has beenprojected.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES AUGUSTINE;

Witnesses: GEORGE A. RUEDIGER, WALTER A. MUNDWILLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents- Washington, D. G. 

